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Chicken Gumbo, Pressure Cooker (M, TNT)
Source: From: "The Pressured Cook," by Lorna J. Sass
Serves: 6

1/2 pound Andouille-type kosher smoked sausage, cut into 1/4" slices
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced (keep white and green parts separate)
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
2 large bay leaves
2 large ribs celery, cut into 1/2" slices
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3/4 pound fresh okra, trimmed and cut into 1" chunks OR 1 10-oz. package of frozen sliced okra (rinse away any ice crystals)
3 lbs. chicken thighs, skinned and well trimmed OR 2-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1" pieces
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes or stewed whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with liquid
1 or 2 cloves garlic, pushed through a press
1 to 2 tbsp. file powder OR cornmeal OR quick-cooking polenta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

Heat the cooker over medium-high heat, and brown the sausage well on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Add olive oil, if needed, to prevent sticking. Set the sausage aside. If there is more than a thin film of fat in the cooker, tip out the excess.

Over medium-high heat, cook the sliced scallion whites, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute. Add the broth and take care to scrape up any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the cooker. Add the Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaves, celery, green pepper, okra, chicken, and half of the browned sausage. Pour the tomatoes on top. Do not stir.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 4 minutes for chopped boneless chicken or 12 minutes for whole thighs. Quick-release the pressure. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow excess steam to escape.

Remove the bay leaves. Stir well as you add the reserved sausage and garlic. If the stew is too thin, sprinkle on the file or other thickener while stirring. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer until the stew has thickened a bit and the garlic has lost its raw edge, about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Stir in the scallion greens and parsley just before serving. Pass the hot sauce at the table.

Poster's Notes:
Lorna Sass writes:
Variations:

Chicken Gumbo with Poultry Sausage: Use a sliced smoked turkey or chicken sausage. You'll probably need to use 1 to 2 tbsp. of oil for the browning stage.

Gumbo with Corn: My colleague, cookbook author Cathy Walthers, likes to add 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels for the last minute or two of cooking. Although not traditional, the corn adds great color and crunch.

Posted by Nancy Berry

Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A